On April 3, 2009, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services released a reminder that a revised I-9 Form had been released for all U.S. companies. Employers can no longer use old versions of the I-9 form and can be held responsible for any penalties and non-compliance for not using the correct form and following requirements. It’s important to understand the I-9 Form changes, where to obtain more information and how to keep your company protected and compliant.

Over the last decade, however, changes such as increasing security concerns, globalization, corporate compliance requirements, new collaboration technologies and demands, and increased job market competition have contributed to bring new challenges and complexities to the management of an enterprise employment screening program—from a fairly straightforward transaction order to a complex, multilevel program.

It’s prudent that healthcare organizations conduct additional pre-employment and ongoing background checks to help protect against potential litigation and reduce liability. A comprehensive screening program helps to demonstrate due diligence and may insulate an employer from a host of potential problems.

Given the frequency at which businesses are defrauded, background checks have become increasingly important. It is not in the best interest of employers to rely on information included in a resume either, as an estimated 43% contain one or more significant inaccuracy.

Many companies find contract workers to be an integral part of their workforce. With an extended workforce making up more than one-third of some companies, this contingent is clearly one of the greatest vulnerabilities of employers today.